For our fifth field day of the 2018-2019 year we headed to
Prima Noce in Linden California to learn about Walnut production and processing
and the technology used in this booming industry. With the anticipation of
upcoming rain showers we began our field day inside the break room of the apple
processing building at Prima Frutta (the fruit processing division of the Prima
company). Once we finished our ice
breakers and the students all finished their breakfast Jennifer Williams, the Marketing
Director for California Walnuts introduced her self and joined us for the day
at Prima Noce. Since there was a break in the rain in the morning we then
headed outside for a tour of the orchards and processing facilities lead by
Joseph Stacher the Production Manager for Prima Frutta.

While out in the orchards the students were able to see
different varieties of walnut trees. We were also able to learn about the
different stages of production between the various orchards and also the
different styles of growing walnut trees including the grafting process. Joseph
gave us a great over view of how things are managed at Prima Noce and the
history of the company and then Jennifer gave her insight on how they compared
to the walnut industry as a whole.

After leaving the orchard we toured the walnut processing
facilities. The students put on hair nets and washed up at the high tech
washing stations and then we were able to see all stages of Prima Noce’s
production line. We saw everything from in shell walnuts, chopped walnuts,
sliced walnuts to the packaging of walnuts. After finishing the tour of the
walnut processing facilities we then tour the cherry processing facility which
is gearing up to begin again in April and the apple processing facilities which
is just wrapping up their season. We finished our tours just as the rain began
to pick up and we headed back into the break room where we began our day.

The students took a break for lunch and then Joseph introduced
Katie Arce, the woman in charge of Walnut Quality Control for Prima Noce. They
taught the students how quality control works in the walnut industry and then
the students were split into groups and able to work on sorting 100 walnuts in
trays based on quality.

Touring the Orchard’s at Prima Noce!

SJ FARMS Leadership students using the high tech hand washing stations at Prima Noce!